Northern Lights
by LSUsweetie
Summary: Fred and Hermione find themselves stranded together in a remote cabin during a snowstorm.
1. Chapter 1

Notes: This story is four chapters and complete. It was written for the 'What To Do On A Snowy Day Fest' over at Weasleys, Witches, and Writers on Facebook.

Thank you to Roo OJoy for using your fantastic alpha/beta skills to polish this story and catch all of my errors! Thanks to Moonfairy13 for Brit picking and taking the time to educate me on the differences between British and American English! Both of you are amazing and I appreciate all the time you spent helping me improve this fic!

Any mistakes are my own.

As always, I own nothing!

xXx

Chapter One

Fred made his way down the stairs from the flat above Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. George, in an out of character move, had called an after-hours meeting of their management team which was made up of himself, George, and surprisingly, Hermione Granger. Fred still laughed when he remembered the shocked looks on everyone's faces when she'd joined their team. It was just after the war. Awaking from a coma, he was surprised to learn that Hermione had been helping George get the shop back up and running. Once Fred was able to come back to work, she'd taken her N.E.W.T.s and returned to work at WWW.

Hermione didn't do much in the way of making products for the joke shop side of production. What she did do was research and create products that helped others. She'd recently landed them a huge contract with St. Mungos and was working hard to produce new healing potions and ointments.

Walking into their office, Fred saw that he was the last to arrive. "George, what's this about?"

Hermione looked on expectantly, apparently waiting for his answer as well. His brother had been so bloody secretive about this whole thing. As Fred observed him, he could see the subtle signs that George was nervous. They wouldn't be noticeable to anyone who didn't know what to look for, but the two of them had pulled off innumerable pranks together. As he watched, his twin pulled lightly on the lobe of his remaining ear, then shifted his weight from one foot to the other. It would be interesting to see how the next few minutes would go.

"You know that potion that we have been attempting; the one that we think will reverse the effects of the Cruciatus Curse?" He paused, looking at Fred, then Hermione in turn. When they both nodded, he continued, "I think I've found the last ingredient we need. It's called the Stella Gelida, commonly known as the frozen star. It's a solid white flower, shaped like a star that appears to be made from ice crystals. I've been reading accounts of its legendary healing powers."

Hermione's eyes widened in delight. She jumped up, grabbing the notes off the desk next to George, exclaiming, "That's wonderful!"

Just as Fred asked, "What's the catch?" Knowing his twin as he did, he was certain that George called them together for more than just good news.

George grimaced slightly. "Well… there's a minor issue with procuring it. It only blooms in a few places in the world and only during the seven days surrounding the winter solstice. To be precise, this year, it begins blooming at midnight on December the eighteenth and dies at precisely one minute past midnight on December twenty-fifth.

"Spit it out, brother of mine. What's the problem?"

Glowering at him, George answered, "The thing is… it only blooms in dense forests in parts of the world where you can see the Northern Lights. It's something to do with the magic of the Aurora Borealis and the winter solstice combined." Sighing, George continued, "I found a forest in Norway where it's rumored to grow."

"What do you need us for?" asked Fred, suspecting the answer.

"Well… if you remember correctly, Angie and I have reservations for a lovely holiday in Paris that week. You know that we've been looking forward to this for months. Please say that you'll go." Turning to Hermione, he implored, "I know how important this is to you. If we don't get this flower now, we can't help all of those people for another year at least. Will you go?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at George. "You knew I wouldn't say no. It wouldn't have mattered if I had plans. I have to do this."

Smirking at her, George chuckled a bit before turning to Fred. "You won't let her go alone, will you?"

Silently cursing his brother, he'd known it was going to be something like this. As George was perfectly aware, he would never say no to Hermione. His ever-observant twin had figured out that he had feelings for the curly-haired witch and had been trying to get him to confess ever since. Sending them to Norway for a week was certainly his way of trying, yet again, to accomplish this.

George's matchmaking attempts had grown increasingly desperate lately. Just last week, he'd attempted to slip Blurting Bubbly into his glass when Hermione had come up for a drink after work. Thankfully, Fred had spotted him and poured out the contaminated beverage before he could make a fool of himself. He knew that his twin wanted him to be happy, and since he planned to propose to Angelina soon, he didn't want Fred to be lonely.

Shooting a glare at George and missing the way that Hermione visibly deflated when she noticed the exchange, he replied, "Of course I'll accompany her, she can't go alone, can she?"

Hermione spoke up, "I… I'm sure that someone else would go with me. Besides, if the three of us are all gone, who's going to run the shop for a week? That's the week before Christmas, our busiest time!"

"Nonsense!" declared George. "Freddie here is happy to go with you, aren't you?"

Grinning at Hermione and thinking that wild hippogriffs couldn't keep him away, Fred assured her, "Of course I want to go with you. I'm sure George here has made plans for the shop. If I'm guessing correctly, he's had some time to think about this before springing it on us." Turning to his brother, he said, "The plan, Georgie, care to share it with us?"

"Yes, alright. Lee, Verity, and… Ron are going to handle the shop for us. Before you ask, Ron came by just a few hours ago. He's not happy being an Auror anymore; asked if I knew of any openings anywhere that he might enjoy. I told him that I would think on it and get back to him. I didn't say anything to him yet, but if the two of you agree, it may be a good time to bring in someone else that we can trust." He paused as both Fred and Hermione started to speak; George held up a finger, then continued, "Hear me out for a moment. As you both know, I'm asking Angie to marry me when we are in Paris. We're going to want to start a family pretty soon. The two of you need to be able to take time off when you would like. We're also expanding the business constantly. I think that having another person that we can trust with the day-to-day operation would be in our best interest."

After some discussion of the merits of bringing in another person, they wrapped up their meeting with everyone agreeing to give Ron a shot.

That had been nearly a month ago. Now, it was the evening of December the seventeenth. Fred was meeting Hermione at her flat in a few minutes. From there, they would take a Portkey to Oslo, Norway where they had a suite booked for the week. Then, they had a second Portkey that would transport them to the remote forest where the Stella Gelida were rumored to bloom. Once there, hopefully, they would gather the flowers and apparate back to their hotel where they could relax and enjoy the forced holiday before returning by Portkey on Christmas morning. They'd discussed the possibility of trying for an earlier Portkey if they found the blooms quickly, but with the approaching holiday, it wasn't possible to get something at the last minute.

Fred knew that it wouldn't be that simple. His gut told him that George was up to something. He wasn't sure what it was, but he was almost certain that his twin was at the very least attempting to play matchmaker.

Arriving at Hermione's flat, he called out, "Mi, I'm here. Are you ready?"

He saw her then, coming out of her bedroom carrying a small suitcase and the beaded bag that she was rarely without. As she approached, his heart rate increased and his stomach flipped as it often did in her presence. Stepping forward, he enveloped her in a hug and kissed her cheek before reaching to take the case. "Ready to go? Our Portkey leaves in three minutes."

Nodding, she smiled at him but seemed nervous, chewing on her bottom lip and fidgeting with her curls.

Concerned, Fred asked, "Are you okay? You seem uneasy about something."

Hermione was silent for a moment, seemingly hesitant to answer, before saying quietly, "I know that you didn't really want to come with me. There's still time to back out. Really, I'm fine to go alone. I'm sure you have better things to do for Yule than being stuck with me."

Dumbfounded, Fred could only stare. Finally, finding his voice, he reached out and gently touched her arm. "What did I do to give you that impression? I promise you that there's no one else I would rather be with this week."

Hermione regarded him, gazing into his eyes, appearing to search for something. Apparently finding what she was looking for, her face relaxed into what looked like a relieved or possibly a hopeful expression.

Looking at Hermione expectantly he asked again, "What did I do to make you think that? Please tell me."

Closing her eyes briefly, Hermione took a deep breath and admitted, "I saw you give George a dirty look when he asked if you would accompany me on this trip. I just thought that you either didn't want to come with me or perhaps you had other plans in mind."

Finally understanding, Fred shook his head. "I'm so sorry that you've thought that all this time. That look was for George alone. I think he's up to something. I'm not sure what, but I have a feeling that we're going to find out very soon."

Just then, their Portkey, a bent coat hanger, lit up; grabbing on, they were whisked away to Norway.

After checking in, they made their way through the beautiful hotel to their rooms. George had taken care of the booking and reserved them a suite. They each had a private bedroom and bathroom but shared a sitting room and small kitchen. It was quite nice.

After putting their things in their respective rooms, they had just enough time for a quick room service dinner before the next Portkey would take them into the forest. With Oslo being an hour ahead of London, it was already quite late.

At five minutes to midnight, Hermione and Fred stood holding onto an old tin can waiting for it to transport them into the forest. The plan was for them to take the Portkey there the first time then they could apparate back and forth as needed. Soon, it lit up and they spun away.

Landing in a dense forest, surrounded by tall trees, Hermione stumbled and nearly fell into the deep snow. Fred instinctively reached out to steady her, grabbing her around the waist. Reluctantly releasing her, he asked, "Okay now?" and was rewarded with a gorgeous smile.

The forest was dark, and it was impossible to see much around them. It was snowing, but thankfully only a light flurry. Hermione had, as usual, come prepared. Reaching into her coat pocket, she withdrew two muggle torches. Passing one to Fred, she demonstrated how to turn it on and explained that they were much better than a lit wand for illuminating a large area. He couldn't help but agree; the muggles did amazing things without magic.

Checking her watch, Hermione announced, "We still have nearly a minute before midnight. George said that he would make sure the Portkey dropped us close to where we can find the Stella Gelida so we should probably stay here until midnight and then start looking immediately after. Hopefully, we can find them quickly," she finished, pointedly looking up as the flurries became larger snowflakes that were coming down at a much faster rate.

Soon, it was midnight. They located the field of Stella Gelida almost immediately. It was breathtakingly beautiful. When the beams from their torches fell upon the pure white petals of the icy flowers, sparkling prisms of light filled the entire clearing. After taking a moment to enjoy the beauty of the magical garden, Hermione took a specially prepared container from her beaded bag and when it was filled she remarked, "That was much easier than I expected."

Fred scowled. "Too easy, don't get comfortable yet. I'm telling you, George is up to something."

"Well, let's get out of here before this snow buries us. It's really coming down now!"

Realising that she was right, Fred pulled out his wand and offered her his arm for side-along back to the hotel. When she grabbed on, he turned but nothing happened. "Wha?" he muttered dumbly, exchanging a confused look with Hermione before trying again with no result.

Hermione looked stricken. "Let me try." Pulling out her wand, keeping her arm on Fred, she made her attempt with the same outcome.

Starting to panic now, Fred attempted a simple summoning charm to no avail. Turning to Hermione, he said tersely, "You try something. Keep it simple, a first-year spell."

She nodded, pointing her wand at a fallen branch near her foot and with a swish and flick confidently said, "Wingardium Leviosa." When nothing happened, she turned to Fred, fear clouding her lovely features. "Surely George wouldn't…"

"George wouldn't do anything that he thought would put us in actual danger, no… but, well, he may not have thought about a snowstorm." Looking at Hermione hopefully, he continued, "You don't happen to have a tent in that beaded bag of yours, do you?"

Hermione shook her head sadly. "No, even if I did, I couldn't summon it since our magic seems to be completely useless right now, and I'm sure that it would have needed magic to stay up anyway."

"Well, we can't say here. We'll freeze. What do you think? Should we just pick a direction and start walking?" Fred shrugged, he knew that wasn't the optimal answer, but they didn't have much choice. "Bloody George, thanks to him, we don't even know where we are and which direction we may find shelter."

"Ugh!" groaned an obviously frustrated Hermione. "I never go anywhere without researching it thoroughly. George promised that this would be easy. He dangled the possibility of finally helping all of those people in front of me, and I threw all of my rules out of the window. I'm sorry, Fred. I should have..."

"Stop right there. This isn't your fault any more than it's mine. If it's anyone's fault, it's George's. He should have given us more information. Yes, we probably should have asked more questions than we did, but there's nothing to be done now." Pausing, he put an arm around Hermione, drawing her into his side, wanting to offer her some comfort. He knew she was afraid. He was too, but they had both been in worse circumstances than this before and made it out even when things had felt hopeless. " Want to walk? Which direction do you think?"

"Yes, I suppose walking is the best idea. I guess that maybe we can just go that way," she agreed, pointing her torch in the direction where the trees seemed to be thinner.

They set off, trudging through the snow. It was difficult to make much progress as the white powder was already quite deep and now it was coming down hard, pelting their faces with a sharp sting and swirling around them constantly, obscuring their vision. Miserable without the ability to cast warming charms, he wanted to crack a joke for comic relief but with the sound of the wind; he wasn't sure if Hermione would even be able to hear him. Deciding that it was pointless, he continued on. It seemed like they had been walking for hours but checking his watch; he saw that it had actually only been about twenty minutes.

"Bloody George, I should have never listened to him… When we get out of this… I'll show him a missing ear… He's going to regret sending me here…" Fred stifled a laugh as he moved close enough to hear Hermione's angry muttering. While he typically sided with his twin, even when he wasn't a co-conspirator, he thoroughly agreed with her right now.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

After a few more minutes of their slow progress, Hermione pointed, exclaiming, "Look! Do you see that?"

Squinting his eyes, trying to see through the swiftly falling snow, Fred thought he could make out the outline of some sort of building up ahead. "Yes, I think so! What do you suppose it is?"

"I'm not sure but hopefully we can take shelter there for the night. I don't see any lights on inside. Either it's empty or the occupants are sleeping."

As they approached, Fred stopped Hermione. "We need to be cautious. Remember that our magic isn't working. We don't have the means to defend ourselves if necessary."

Nodding her understanding, Hermione stayed close by his side as they approached what they could now see was a small cabin. Walking up to the door, they saw that it held a sign. Shining their lights on it, they began to read and both let out sighs of relief...

_This cabin is for stranded travellers in need of shelter. All are welcome. _

Opening the door, they stepped inside. Fred watched as Hermione located a light switch on the wall and groaned when nothing happened. Fred shone his torch around the small space and located instructions for powering up the generator that was around the back of the cabin.

A few minutes later, once they had the generator working, Fred and Hermione were safely inside the cabin. They quickly moved to the fireplace, stacking wood and working together to get a fire started the muggle way.

Finally, a roaring fire crackled, quickly warming the room. Silently, they removed their outerwear and boots, laying the garments over the pair of chairs that sat next to a minuscule dining table. In their stockinged feet, they stood, warming themselves.

As they began to thaw, Fred glanced around the space. The cabin had a small kitchen area to one side of the room with a bed on the other. The stone fireplace was enormous, taking up nearly an entire wall. Spotting two doors near the bed, Fred wandered over to investigate. The first was a small bathroom. It held a toilet, a basin, and a shower. Moving to see what was behind the other door, assuming it would be a second bedroom, he was shocked when he opened the door and a wave of heat and humidity rolled over him. He gasped as he took in the room that was made entirely of glass and holding only a spa that sat in the middle of the space, steam curling up and out of the bubbling water. Amazed at the beauty that was visible through the glass, he called for Hermione to come and see.

She appeared quickly and froze. "What in the world?" she asked dumbfounded, staring open-mouthed in shock. The cabin was situated at the edge of a cliff, overlooking a fjord. The snow had slowed to a light flurry, and the sky was alight with the brilliance of the Aurora Borealis. It was stunningly beautiful.

Hermione scanned the room, clearly still taking in the sight before her, and in an awed voice, she said, "That is not what I expected to find in here." Sighing, she told Fred, "I found something too, want to come have a look?"

Nodding, Fred followed her back into the main room.

Seeming nervous, Hermione handed him a small book explaining, "I came across that when I was investigating the food situation. There is plenty of food, that's not a concern, but you should read this."

Opening the book he saw that it was a small journal of sorts. Reading the first page he sighed deeply…

_Dearest traveller, _

_If you're reading this, you are certainly a witch or wizard. This journal is only visible to my magical guests. As you've likely already discovered, your magic is useless at the present time. During the seven days surrounding the winter solstice, the magical interference in this forest is too great for magic to function normally. You will not be able to apparate out of the forest until after midnight on the seventh day. Please make yourself comfortable. This cabin only appears when and where there is a need. It's always fully stocked with precisely what's required. You can't request anything that isn't already here, but I'm sure you will find that it's provided exactly what's needed. _

_Please enjoy your stay. My only request is that you leave a note detailing your activities during your time here. You are welcome to read what others have experienced as well. _

"Damn George, he got us good, didn't he?"

Hermione agreed, "Yes, but why? What is the point of trapping us here for seven nights?"

Fred thought he knew what George's point was, but he wasn't about to share it with the witch standing next to him. She was the point. His twin was determined to get him to act on his feelings. Trapping them here, alone, together for a week with apparently only one bed was George's way of trying to push them together at last.

Looking at Hermione, Fred asked, "I don't suppose that you have something that we could wear for sleeping in that magic bag of yours, do you?"

Hermione gave him a weak smile. "I'm not sure. I haven't fully emptied it in quite some time. Being as I have a week with nothing else to do, maybe I can see what's actually inside. Let me look on top and see if there are any clothing items close to the surface."

Fred watched as she opened the bag. First, she removed the container of Stella Gelida and set it on the table. Then, moving to sit on the bed, she reached inside and frowning, pulled out a large package. Looking at him, she said, "I didn't put this in here. Someone else did… I'm guessing that we both know who that must have been. Hopefully, he's given us things that will actually be useful."

Moving to sit next to her, he watched as she unwrapped the package. Inside were two sacks, one labeled with Fred's name and one with Hermione's.

Hermione passed his over and when he opened it, the first thing that he saw was a letter. He read…

_Freddie, my boy, _

_Don't be upset. Use this as an opportunity to make your wishes come true. Trapped with the witch of your dreams in a spectacular location. Make the best of it! I'll see you on Christmas with that lovely witch on your arm. _

_ George xx _

Glancing over at Hermione, Fred saw that she was folding what appeared to be a letter of her own and shoving it hastily back into the depths of her bag. Her face was slightly red. Fred wondered if that was due to anger or something else. Slightly distracted, he turned back to see what George had provided. He was pleased to find that he'd sent all of the essentials. There were a couple of pairs of pyjamas, pants, several warm jumpers, a couple of pairs of trousers, socks, and a pair of swimming trunks. Apparently, George had known about the spa. Maybe he had even conspired with the owner of this cabin to make sure of it. Looking back down, he saw that there was also a toiletry kit. Opening that, he found soap, shampoo, shaving balm, and a muggle razor.

Turning to Hermione, he said, "Well, at least he did provide the necessary items. I'm guessing that he also knew about this cabin as he sent along swim trunks for me."

Hermione nodded then said tersely, "Yes, well... he's sent a teeny, tiny bikini for me. Everything else was perfectly appropriate, and he swears that he enlisted Angie to provide my undergarments and toiletries but it's perfectly obvious that he sent this along," she ended with a flourish, brandishing two tiny scraps of purple fabric at Fred.

Realising that the purple fabric was the bikini she'd complained about, Fred swallowed hard and tried to think of anything but what she would look like wearing that. Failing miserably, he shifted to hide the sudden and very obvious bulge in his crotch.

Oblivious to his dilemma, Hermione rose. "I'm going to and have a wash and get changed into my pyjamas. I'm exhausted. It's late and we've had a long night."

Half an hour later, Hermione returned to the bedroom cursing George once again. "Apparently George doesn't understand what's appropriate sleepwear for a freezing night," she complained, gesturing to what she was wearing.

Fred took one look and sucked in a breath, his mouth going dry. Her pyjamas, if you could call them that, consisted of a long-sleeved top that was cropped to show off her taut stomach, the loose neckline slipping seductively off one slim shoulder. This was paired with tiny, loose-fitting shorts. The whole thing was a shocking pink color. When she turned to place something on a chair, he saw that the word PINK was written in large, black letters across her perfectly rounded arse.

Rising from where he was lounging on the bed, Fred tried to make his way to the loo without her seeing the large erection that he was sporting for the second time in less than an hour. Sighing deeply as he closed the door, he thought to himself that this was going to be a long week.

Deciding to shower as they'd been for an unplanned hike, he turned on the water and making sure it was warm, stepped inside. When he closed the glass door, he groaned audibly. The bloody shower smelled like Hermione. This was the most wonderful kind of torture. He quickly lathered up then, deciding that it was the only way to get through the night, he took himself in hand. With only a few firm strokes, he came, biting his lip to avoid crying out. He wasn't sure how soundproof these walls were and without the ability to use silencing charms he would have to be careful to avoid embarrassing himself or Hermione.

With his body under control, at least for the moment, he quickly rinsed off and turned off the tap. Then, stepping from the shower he readied himself for bed. Only then realising that George had only sent the pyjama bottoms. Subtle, brother, really subtle, he thought to himself.

Stepping from the bathroom, he approached the bed and apologised, "I'm sorry, Mi. I hope I don't make you uncomfortable. George apparently didn't think I would need the top half of my pyjamas. I usually don't bother with them at home, so I guess he thought this would be enough. If… If you prefer, I can make myself a bed on the floor by the fire. I don't want to do anything…"

"Fred, stop," interrupted Hermione. "You won't be sleeping on the floor. It's freezing. You would be miserable. You're not going to make me uncomfortable. Look at what George sent for me to wear. You're wearing as much, if not more than me. Get in here. It's cold even under the covers. You can help keep me warm."

Was she flirting or was she just trying to make him feel better? Fred had always been confident and sure of what he was doing with every other witch, but when it came to Hermione, he was left feeling like a first year trying to impress his crush. He simply didn't know how to read her.

Not waiting to be told a second time, he crawled under the covers and into the bed next to Hermione. It was a double, but much smaller than it appeared. Once they were both lying there, he couldn't prevent contact with her body unless he hung part of himself off the edge of the bed. Sighing, he tried to get comfortable and force himself to think of anything other than what she was wearing. This was going to be a long night and an even longer week.

The next morning, Fred came awake slowly, aware of a comfortable weight across his chest. Turning his head slightly, he got a mouthful of hair. Opening his eyes, he realised that Hermione was completely on top of him. Briefly, he wondered if he was dreaming, but then she shifted slightly, brushing against his morning wood. Stifling a groan, he thought to himself that this was the most pleasurable suffering he'd experienced.

Fred lay perfectly still. He didn't know how Hermione would react when she discovered where she'd ended up, and he wanted to enjoy this for as long as possible. She was moving around a little more now, and it was agony and bliss at the same time. Every time she moved, she brushed his erection with her leg or crotch, and he wanted desperately to grab onto her arse and grind into her while snogging her senseless. Fighting for control until amusement won out when she went very still and raised her head up, meeting his eyes with her own, which had grown wide and full of shock.

Suddenly, she hopped up, face flushed, apologising over and over. "Fred, I'm so sorry. I can't believe I did that. I must have been cold and trying to get close to a source of heat. I'm so embarrassed. Please forgive me."

Without giving him a chance to get a word in edgewise, she dashed into the loo, grabbing her bag on the way in.

Deciding to be productive while she got herself together, Fred rose and grabbing a jumper to throw on over his pyjamas, went to get the fire built back up. When it was crackling and popping once again, he went into the kitchen area to see what he could scout out for breakfast. Turning to the tiny, two-burner cooker, he grabbed the kettle that sat there and after filling it with water, he placed it back on the hob, waiting for it to heat. Looking around, he found a small cupboard and a tiny fridge. Opening the latter, he found eggs, milk, cheese, and ham. In the cupboard, he located tea, spices, and bread.

Fred wasn't his mum, but he could manage eggs, toast, and tea. Whisking the ingredients together, he heated butter in a pan and popped some bread onto a tray to warm in the oven. By the time the kettle whistled, he was plating up a lovely omelette and perfectly browned bread. Turning to place everything on the small table, he saw Hermione standing in the doorway of the loo, watching him intently.

After putting everything down, he walked over and gathered her into a hug. "I promise you have nothing to feel embarrassed about. If I hadn't liked it, I would have pushed you off when I saw where you were." Then, kissing her on the cheek he pushed passed her to go into the loo, having an urgent need for it by now. Looking back at her as he closed the door, he gave her a cheeky wink and grinned when her face pinked up prettily.

When he came out a few moments later, she was seated at the table. Deciding that the way to her heart wouldn't be constant teasing, he let the subject drop. Sitting across from her, he began to eat. After a few bites, he asked, "What do you want to do today? We've got nothing but time. I saw that there are a few cupboards next to the bed. Maybe there's something entertaining in them. Have you checked?"

"I haven't looked. I assumed that they were extra blankets or something. It would be nice if it was something that could keep us occupied though. We'll probably only get five or six hours of daylight today. I suppose we could go and see if there's anything interesting outside while we have some sunlight."

"It's already nine, and it looks like the sun is just starting to rise. I bet it's dark again by around three or four. If it's not snowing once it's fully dark, maybe we can check out that spa and watch the lights. Would you be up for that?"

Hermione nodded uncertainly. "I would really like that. I'm just concerned about that swimsuit. It's barely going to cover the important bits. I don't usually wear anything remotely like that."

Looking at her incredulously, Fred remarked, "Have you seen yourself? You're going to look bloody gorgeous in that thing. Take it from me, you have nothing to worry about."

Hermione didn't seem to know how to react to that. She shifted her feet around and looked down at her plate, playing with the bits of food that she hadn't eaten. Shyly, she looked up and said quietly, "Thank you for making breakfast. It was delicious. I didn't know you could cook. I'll wash up the dishes while you go and get dressed. We can investigate the outside and then come back and see what we can find to fill our time."

Fred knew exactly how he would fill their time if it was up to him. But, sadly, he couldn't suggest that, instead, he simply replied, "Sounds good. I'm glad you enjoyed the omelette. I'm not my mum but thankfully I can put together something easy when I need to. I didn't look to see what else is in there. We should probably think about putting something on to simmer for lunch before we head outside. Muggle cooking takes a lot longer than magical."

Hermione nodded and rose, gathering their plates and silverware, she took it over to the small sink. Fred went to get dressed. When he returned, the dishes were done and Hermione was pulling things out of the fridge.

"I've found the makings for vegetable beef soup. That will make enough for lunch for several days, and it will be good to have something hearty and warm. Is that okay with you?" she asked, peering over her shoulder at him.

"That sounds perfect. I'll help you chop veggies."

They worked together in companionable silence and in no time had a fragrant soup simmering on the cooker. Putting on their coats, they headed out into the snow.

Outside was a pristine blanket of white. It was beautiful. Fred had a sudden urge to play around like a kid. He wanted to build a snowman, and then challenge Hermione to a snowball fight. He had all this pent up energy from being trapped here. Not to mention, plenty of sexual frustration from being stranded with this particular witch. He needed a way to burn off some of that energy without making a fool of himself.

"Let's go check on the generator and look around a little, then I want to build a snowman before we go back inside. Does that sound okay?"

Hermione's answering grin was brilliant. He wasn't sure if it was because she approved of everything he'd suggested or simply because he chose to be responsible and check on the generator before doing something fun.

After playing in the snow for nearly an hour, they were both soaked and freezing. Heading back inside, they added wood to the fire, warming up before investigating the contents of the cupboards next to the bed. As expected, one contained a couple of extra blankets and a stack of towels. The other, however, held a large stack of muggle board games and a telly with a built-in device that Hermione explained would play videos and was called a VCR. There was also a large variety of rectangular cases that held movies. Fred loved seeing Hermione's face light up with excitement when she saw what was in there.

"What do you say we have a bowl of that amazing smelling soup and then watch movies and play games until it gets dark enough to see the Aurora Borealis from the spa? Does that sound okay to you?"

Hermione replied, "That sounds amazing to me."

Dry, warm, and comfortable, they dished up the soup and sat down at the table to taste their creation.

Full of delicious soup, they decided to play a game first before watching a video as Hermione had reasoned that being too full they may get comfortable watching the movie and fall asleep. She walked over to the cupboard and picked out a game called Monopoly. Bringing it back to the small table she explained the rules to Fred. They spent the next hour or so engaged in a fierce real estate battle. It was close, but Hermione ultimately won. When they were done, Fred looked over at Hermione and exclaimed, "That was bloody brilliant! We should create a wizarding version of this and sell it at WWW."

Hermione nodded enthusiastically, smiling at Fred. "Yes! I don't know why I never thought of that before. The wizarding world needs games to play that aren't Wizarding Chess, Gobstones, or Exploding Snap. Board games would do well. We will play some more games over the next few days, and we can spend some time deciding which ones to produce first and what changes would be necessary to make them popular with the magical population." Pausing to take a breath, she smiled at him. "I love how your mind works."

That statement made his breath catch and his belly flip. Fred could easily imagine a life with Hermione, spending time with her at home, their home, doing things like this. He could clearly see them playing games, watching videos, cooking, and creating products together. This was what he wanted. Suddenly, he understood that he would eventually have to tell her how he felt. If there was even a tiny chance that she could feel the same, he had to take it. He decided then that George may be right. Maybe he would just test the waters a bit over the next couple of days; try to gauge how she would react.

Hermione must have noticed his odd behavior. She was gazing at him with an unreadable expression and asked quietly, "Are you okay?"

Flashing her a grin, he nodded. "I'm just perfect. You ready to go get comfy on the bed and turn on a video?"

Still looking at him strangely, she paused a moment before nodding. "Yes, that sounds nice."

"You pick the movie. You know more about them than I do. I've never actually seen a movie before. I wanted to, but I never had the opportunity."

"There are loads of great options here. We've got nothing but time this week. We can make our way through all of them. Let's start with these. I think you'll really enjoy them. They are action/adventure movies. What they do in these movies reminds me of curse breakers who find treasure for Gringotts. I bet Bill would really enjoy these as well. That's why I decided to watch this first. I think that part will be relatable to you." Pausing and turning slightly red she apologised, "I'm sorry, I'm rambling. I have a tendency to do that. I know that most people hate that."

"Hey, none of that. No need to apologise. First movie, remember. I appreciate anything that you want to tell me." Giving her a reassuring smile, he patted the spot next to him. "Get over here and get comfy. Let's watch this."

Soon, they were engrossed in _Raiders of the Lost Ark _. Hermione had been right, of course, Fred loved this. It was amazing.

About halfway through the movie, Hermione began to wiggle a bit, leaning up to adjust her pillow. Seeing his opportunity, Fred reached over, pulling her into the crook of his arm. Hearing her sharp intake of breath, he smiled to himself. Happy to know that she was at least somewhat affected by him. Glancing sideways, he was pleased to see that she was covertly watching him, chewing on her bottom lip nervously.

They stayed like that until the video was over. Fred was pleased that Hermione didn't attempt to move away from him at all. In fact, if he wasn't mistaken, she had scooted a little closer. Deciding to take it a little farther, he leaned over whispering in her ear, "That was brilliant. Thank you, I loved every minute." Pulling away, he was thrilled to see her shocked, wide-eyed expression, and the chill bumps along her neck made the fine hairs stand up along her skin.

Going to the window, Fred looked out and seeing that it was clear and dark, turned to Hermione, who still appeared to be gathering her thoughts and announced, "It's a perfect night to see the Northern Lights. Get your swimsuit and meet me in there. I'll change first so you don't have to be cold too long."

Finding her voice, at last, Hermione protested, "That swimsuit, though, I don't think I can wear it."

"Why, Hermione, if you'd prefer to go without it, I won't object," he said cheekily, waggling his eyebrows at her.

Opened mouth with shock, Hermione stuttered out, "I...I… That's not what I meant."

Moving to her side, he pulled her into a one-armed hug. "I know it's not what you meant. I just wanted you to relax about the swimsuit. I'm sure it's not that bad, and I was being serious yesterday when I said that you would look fit in that thing. Look, I know it's not what you would have picked for yourself, but there's no one else here to see but me. And soaking in a lovely, hot, bubbly spa while watching the Northern Lights from a cliff overlooking a fjord in Norway is a once in a lifetime kind of thing. You can't pass up this opportunity. Please say you'll join me. I won't look if you're that worried about it."

Finally, she conceded. Fred changed quickly, grabbed some towels, and walked into the spa room. Moving to the edge of the steaming, bubbling pool, he waited for Hermione, a plan formulating in his head. When she entered the room, he looked over to see her standing there, nervously clutching a towel to her chest. Thinking to himself that he needed to make her relax, he put his plan into action.

Dipping a toe into the water, Fred yelped, as if in pain, jerking back and curling into a ball on the floor, clutching his foot. Immediately, Hermione was at his side, towel forgotten. "Are you okay? Was it too hot? Let me see!"

"Relax, Mi, I'm fine, see," Fred told her, showing her his unmarked foot. Laughing, he said, "The water feels great. I just needed you to forget to be worried about that bloody bikini. Which looks amazing, by the way," he finished, looking over her body with exaggerated lasciviousness and giving her a wink.

"You absolute, prat!" exclaimed Hermione, hitting him on the shoulder. "Ugh, I can't believe you made me think you were hurt just to get me to forget about what I'm wearing. You shouldn't do that. I was really worried. Being stuck here, unable to use magic. I was afraid of what would happen if you were injured."

Taking her hand with a sigh, Fred apologised. "I'm really sorry that I worried you. I didn't mean to do that. I just wanted to help you relax. I shouldn't have taken it that far, but come on, you can't stay mad at me. You know you love me."

Huffing lightly and giving him a mock glare, she sighed deeply and said, "Thank you for attempting to make me calm down about the swimsuit. However misguided your attempts were, I really do feel better. No, it's not my usual style, and I'll never wear it again once we leave here. I don't have much choice though, and I really do want to enjoy this spa."

Meeting her eyes, Fred replied, "I personally think you should keep it. You never know when you'll need it again. Besides, I like it, quite a lot." He made a show of looking her up and down, then, letting his eyes meet hers again. "I feel the need to repeat myself here. You look bloody gorgeous."

Blushing now, Hermione made a production of stepping into the water, clearly flustered and unable to decide how to respond. Smirking to himself, Fred stepped in after her. Noticing that Hermione had moved to the far side of the small pool, he settled himself with his back to the door, facing the fjord. Settling back in the hot water, he watched as the sky exploded with color. It was indescribable. Glancing at Hermione and seeing that she was turned around, looking behind her, craning her neck uncomfortably, he beckoned, "Come here. There's no reason for you to be all the way over there when there's plenty of room right next to me."

Hermione hesitated briefly, biting her lip nervously and refusing to meet his eyes. Seeming to come to a decision, she nodded then slowly moved through the water to take the seat next to him. Fred didn't want to make her uncomfortable, but he wanted to keep getting in her way, so he stayed put, assuring that she would need to press right up against him to fit on the bench.

Saying nothing, ignoring the jolt of desire that shot through him when her naked thigh slid against the exposed length of leg above his knee, he waited for her to relax. His lack of action seemed to put her at ease, and she sagged back against the edge of the spa, resting her head on the ledge. Impulsively, Fred snaked his arm behind her head, acting as a cushion between her and the stone edge.

At this, Hermione's eyes met his, wide and searching. He smiled, and simply said, "I didn't want you hurting your neck. You didn't look comfortable."

Smiling softly at him, she murmured quietly. "Thank you." Then, pausing to look up at the sky she said in an awed voice, "This is amazing. Have you ever seen anything this beautiful?"

Eyes never leaving her face, Fred answered in a whisper, "I have."

He watched as Hermione swallowed hard and began chewing on her bottom lip once again. Fred willed her to turn and look at him, but she stared straight ahead. He wanted desperately to turn her face to his and snog her breathless. After a few moments, it was clear that she wasn't going to look in his direction. Deciding that it was time to give her a break and let her think about his actions, he relaxed back against the cool stone and watched the stunning lights flash against the night sky.

When they'd soaked so long they'd started to resemble prunes, Hermione turned to face Fred and said, "I'm going to have a shower. After that, we can decide what to eat for dinner. There's loads more of that soup from lunch we just need to decide if we want to have that again, or if we want to save it for lunches over the week."

Happy with the plan, Fred nodded and replied, "That sounds good to me. I'll have a shower as soon as you are done, then we can investigate the food situation to see what we can find."

Soon, they were both clean and wearing comfortable clothing. After checking the contents of the fridge and cupboard, they decided to have more of the soup, along with ham and cheese toasties. They also found the ingredients to make chocolate biscuits. Deciding that they wanted dessert as well, they mixed up the dough for the biscuits and set them to bake while they cooked the toasties and heated up the soup.

Before long, they were sitting down having soup and sandwiches as the delicious scent of baking biscuits began to fill the air. As they ate the hearty meal, they discussed what they would do after dinner. Deciding that it was too early for bed, even though it was already fully dark, they agreed that they would play another game while enjoying some biscuits, then get in bed and watch the other two Indiana Jones films.

They played a game that Hermione called Scrabble while eating the delicious chocolate biscuits and sipping tea that she'd brewed for them. Fred had the best time trying to come up with the most ridiculous words that he could think of. Hermione, of course, took this all very seriously, so, he found the fact he could make her burst into uncontrollable giggles at some of his choices a major victory, even if he lost the game.

Later, they took turns changing for bed, each making use of the small loo. Fred went first while Hermione set up the video. He made himself comfortable in bed and waited for her to emerge. When she did, he noticed how she bit her lip nervously and turned a bit red as she approached the bed. Sliding in, she seemed to purposely keep some distance between them. Reaching over, he pulled her in, situating their bodies so that her head would rest on his chest. She let out a shocked gasp at first, then with a sigh, relaxed into his side and made herself comfortable. Fred silently thanked Merlin that she hadn't reacted badly to his bold move… maybe there was hope still.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Over the next couple of days, they fell into a routine. Waking each morning, they would have breakfast and put something on to simmer for lunch while they went out to get some fresh air. When they were cold and wet, they would come in and change before having lunch, followed by games and videos. When it got dark, they would have a soak in the spa followed by showers, dinner, games, and more videos before finally falling asleep.

Fred hadn't made an actual move on Hermione yet, but he kept letting her know that he was around, throwing an arm around her, touching her back, hugging her frequently. Though she didn't attempt to take things further either, she now automatically cuddled into him when they started a movie and stayed that way when they decided to go to sleep. Fred wasn't sure what all of that meant, but he was pleased that she hadn't shied away from his advances. He was perfectly aware that she may simply consider those things to be platonic; he hoped not, but he was prepared for that possibility, just in case.

Now, it was the evening of December the twentieth and they were settling in to watch another video. They'd made their way through the Indiana Jones movies, then the Star Wars trilogy, and were currently watching the James Bond series.

Fred looked over at Hermione and asked, "Think I could be the wizarding world's Bond? You could be my Q and make me new toys. That would be wicked."

Hermione laughingly replied, "Not a chance, Weasley. I think you're already Q. Maybe I should be Bond."

Leaning up, hovering over her, Fred said, "Oh, you think that's funny, do you? I'll give you something to laugh about." He began to tickle her and kept it up until she breathlessly begged him to stop.

Fred ceased the tickle torture but didn't shift positions so he remained where he was, hovering over Hermione who was looking up at him with an odd expression on her face. Their eyes met and her gaze was intense. Muttering, "Fuck it," he leaned down and captured her lips with his. She gasped and froze before reaching up to fist her hands in his hair and proceeded to give him the snog of his life.

Suddenly, she broke away, a horrified expression on her face. Before Fred could ask what was wrong, she sat up, saying, "I...I...I'm sorry… We shouldn't have… I…" before hopping off the bed and fleeing to the loo. Hearing the lock click into place and a muffled sob come from behind the closed door, he quickly stood, grabbing a jumper and throwing on his coat and boots. He needed to get out of here. This place was closing in on him.

Rushing outside, he let out a stream of expletives before attempting to ease his frustration by kicking at a snowbank until it was riddled with holes. Calming a bit, he sat on the stoop of the little cabin muttering to himself. "Bloody George, I shouldn't have listened to him. I really buggered that one up."

As he sat thinking, calming a bit more and becoming more rational, he remembered that before Hermione pulled away; she had seemed as eager as he. What was that about?

Going back inside, he found the main room and loo empty. Realising that she must be in the spa room, Fred hesitated. He wasn't sure if it was best to give her space or go in and force her to talk about what had happened between them. Deciding to give her space for the night as Hermione could be irrational when she was upset, he miserably got into bed and after restlessly tossing and turning for hours, he fell into a fitful sleep before she had ever come to bed.

The next morning, he awoke slowly, feeling groggy and awful from the rough night of sleep. Turning, he could see that Hermione had come to bed at some point. She was facing away from him, all the way at the far edge of the bed. He wasn't sure if she was sleeping or just lying very still. Making the decision not to disturb her yet, he stayed put, formulating a plan of action. He needed to map out exactly what he was going to say because regardless of how uncomfortable it was, he couldn't leave things as they were. They had to talk about this. Even if she was never interested in him romantically, they had to find a way to maintain their friendship and business partnership. He couldn't allow himself to think that he could lose that too, the idea was far too devastating.

As Fred lay there coming up with a plan, he became vaguely aware that Hermione was starting to stir. Deciding that this conversation needed to happen sooner rather than later, he rolled to face her. As soon as he did, she jumped up, heading for the loo. Fred groaned, this wasn't going to be easy. He would make her listen to him though, they were trapped here for several more days. She wouldn't have a choice.

Rising and going through the now familiar routine of adding logs to the fire before starting breakfast, Fred thought about the previous night. He was still confused about why Hermione reacted as she did if she wasn't at least a little interested. She had kissed him back, snogged him senseless, actually. Was there a chance that she was interested but scared for some reason? He had to find out.

When breakfast was done and they were both seated at the table, neither had spoken a word. Fred started to take a bite but put his fork down and instead reached across the table, covering Hermione's hand with his own. When she flinched away, he kept his hand firmly over hers, wanting the contact when they had this discussion.

"Mi," he began, willing her to lift her head to meet his gaze. When she kept her eyes stubbornly on her plate, he continued, "We need to talk about last night, that kiss…"

Interrupting, she met his eyes defiantly, "There's nothing to discuss. It can't happen again and as far as I'm concerned, we can pretend that it never did." Pulling her hand away from his, she pointedly picked up her fork and began to eat.

Stung, Fred could only stare. He realised that she must have regretted their actions immediately and that's why she'd run away so abruptly after initially responding to the kiss. What he couldn't understand was the anger that seemed to be simmering under the false calm she was struggling to maintain.

Knowing that she couldn't go anywhere, he pushed on, determined to figure out the cause of her response. "Look, I'm sorry if I read the situation wrong. I quite enjoyed that kiss, but I value our friendship far too much to do anything that upsets you. Please, Hermione, talk to me. Yell at me if you need to. It feels like you are upset by something more than just that kiss. Please tell me what I did. I can't lose you."

Looking over, Fred was startled to see tears in Hermione's eyes. He instinctively moved closer, wanting to comfort her.

Voice shaking, Hermione gasped out, "Don't... please don't touch me." Then, with tears wetting her cheeks, she spat, "I can't be just another notch on your bedpost, a warm body there for convenience sake. I'm not like the others. I'm sorry that you are stuck here with me, but I can't be that for you just because I'm here and they're not." Sobbing now, she jumped up and bolted from the small table, fleeing to the loo, slamming the door behind her.

Completely flummoxed by what Hermione had just said, Fred sat staring for a moment. He couldn't for the life of him figure out what she was talking about. Something had apparently given her the idea that his flat was a revolving door for women or something. Sure, he wasn't completely innocent, he'd been with women in the past but since he'd realised his feelings for Hermione, he hadn't been with anyone at all.

Summoning his Gryffindor courage, he walked to the door of the loo. Sliding down to sit on the floor, blocking the entrance, he was determined to get answers. "Mi," he called, tentatively. When she didn't answer he continued, "I know you can hear me, so you'll just have to listen. I don't know where you got the idea that I'm with women all the time, but I'm not. To be honest, I haven't been with anyone at all since the war."

At this admission, the door was flung open by a witch who was no longer crying. Tears replaced by a murderous expression. "Liar," she spat.

Rising to his feet, growing angry himself, Fred yelled, "I am not lying! I don't know what I did to give you the impression that I've been fooling around with loads of women, but it isn't true. Gods woman, Merlin only knows why, but I only want you. I can't bring myself to even look at another woman when they can't possibly compare to you."

Momentarily silent, Hermione regarded him, tears filling her eyes once again. "Do not lie to me, Fred Weasley! I know for sure about Katie and Alicia and your own brother and flatmate is the one that mentioned all of the others."

"George? What?" Mind whirling, trying to process and make sense of everything she just said, Fred could only sputter. Finally, the pieces clicked into place.

Calmly Fred looked straight into Hermione's beautiful but furious face. "Hermione, please, tell me exactly what George told you to make you believe that."

Scoffing, Hermione said, "Since we are stuck here together, I guess I have to humor you. I know that you know exactly what he said because George has no reason to lie to me."

Impatient, Fred sent Hermione an expectant look, willing her to continue.

Rolling her eyes, she scoffed. "George told me every time that you went out with Katie or Alicia."

Unable to take anymore, Fred shot back. "I went out with them as friends and only when George and Angie begged. When they are in London, individually, visiting Angie, she doesn't want them to feel like a third wheel so they ask me to come along, as a friend. I haven't done more than give a quick hug or a kiss on the cheek to either of them, ever. They are just friends to me. Much like you and Harry."

Apparently unimpressed, Hermione shook her head. "Doesn't explain the others though, does it?"

Exasperated, Fred raised his voice again. "What bloody others?"

"Oh, George hasn't come out and said it, but he let me know what's going on. I commented that you look exhausted a few mornings every week and he told me about your sleepless nights."

Fully understanding now and ready to Avada his brother when he saw him, Fred stopped Hermione when she tried to escape once again. Meeting her eyes, he told her truthfully, "I have nightmares. I have since I woke up from my coma. Hearing everything going on around you but not being able to speak or move is terrifying. I have frequent nightmares which lead to sleepless nights. I wasn't lying to you. There really haven't been other women."

Looking at him with an unreadable expression, Hermione asked in a slightly strained voice, "Can we sit down? I need to sit."

Nodding, Fred took a chance, slipping an arm around her to guide her to sit on the edge of the bed. Silently, he waited, allowing her to process everything.

Finally, she spoke, looking down at her hands and asking quietly, "Why would George allow me to believe that these past few years if it wasn't true? He knew how I felt about you. Why would he do that?"

"I've been trying to figure that out myself and the only thing I can come up with is that he, in his well-meaning but seriously misguided approach, was trying to make you jealous so that you would say something to me and I would confess my feelings." Pausing and remembering what she'd said, he added, "Wait, what do you mean by how you felt about me?"

Hermione met his gaze shyly. "Fred… I… Well, I've had feelings for you for years now. I realised it not long after we all started working together. But… Since I thought there were others, I never let you know. What about you, though? You said something earlier about only wanting me. Is that true?"

Smiling broadly now, Fred decided that answering verbally could wait. Instead, he leaned in, cupping her cheek with one hand while placing the other at her waist. Staring lovingly into her amber eyes, he gently captured her lips with his. Pulling away when she sighed against his mouth, he resisted the temptation to deepen the kiss. With one more light brush of his lips against hers, he said earnestly, "I have fancied you for years, but to be honest, I don't fancy you anymore."

Laughing at Hermione's crestfallen expression, he used a finger to tilt her chin up. Forcing her to meet his eyes, he murmured, "I'm in love with you, completely, all the way, head over heels."

Whispering, "Prat," Hermione shoved him lightly before responding quietly, "I'm in love with you too, although, after a stunt like that, I can't imagine why."

Chuckling, Fred captured her lips once more, immediately deepening the kiss and giving into the urge to slide his tongue against hers. Things quickly grew heated. The passion they both felt evident in the speed in which they were lost to the kiss.

As Hermione moved to straddle his lap, Fred's stomach gave a loud grumble, protesting the lack of food that morning. Hermione pulled back and began to laugh uncontrollably. Regaining her composure, she rested her forehead against Fred's. "I guess we should get you some food. Think we can salvage the breakfast you made? I don't really fancy cold eggs."

Chuckling, Fred stroked her face with both hands, placing a soft kiss on her lips. Gazing into her eyes, he said, "Eating sounds good to me. I'm clearly hungry, but more importantly, it will give us a chance to talk." At the alarmed look that Hermione shot him, he gave her a reassuring smile and continued stroking her face as he spoke. "Nothing bad, love. I just want to make sure that we are on the same page with everything. I don't want to do anything to mess this up. No more confusion about anything, yeah?"

Hermione smiled softly up at him and nodded. Climbing off his lap, she led the way back to the table where their abandoned meal had gone cold. Poking a fork into the congealed mass that had once been eggs, she looked back at him and suggested, "Maybe we should just start over with this meal. I don't think we can save it." Smiling broadly she suggested, "You've been making breakfast for me every morning, how about I make some eggy bread for us now?"

"Eggy bread sounds perfect, but I want to help too."

Before long the meal was ready and a short time later, they were both stuffed from the delicious treat. Fred reached over and took Hermione's hand. "Like I said earlier, I want to talk about what is happening between us. I don't want there to be any uncertainty. You mean far too much to me for me to chance losing you over a silly misunderstanding.

"Okay then," said Hermione drawing in a deep breath. "I guess I'll just put it all out there and ask the big question on my mind." Pausing, she looked at him directly in the eye and asked, "What exactly do you want out of this?"

Fred smiled as he returned her intense gaze and replied easily, "Forever. That's what I want from you." Chuckling at her predictably incredulous expression, he went on, "I can hear you thinking all the way over here. We do know each other well enough to say those things. I'm not suggesting that we jump into marriage right now or anything. I'm just that serious about you. I have zero doubts about how amazing we will be together. Don't discount the fact that we have worked together on a daily basis for the past four years, without any major disagreements. Also, look how easily we've managed to fall into a routine here. Imagine how stressful it could be to become stranded, for an entire week, with someone you couldn't get on with."

"Valid points, Mr. Weasley," she said with a wry smile. "I would like to let things progress normally, so I think that dating would be preferable. If you prefer, I'm willing to forgo the initial awkward phase where no one knows how to define the relationship and skip to the part where we are committed to each other."

Squeezing her hand, he replied, "Well, Ms. Granger, does that mean that you will consent to allow me to formally call you my girlfriend?"

Laughing now, Hermione nodded happily. "I would love that. I like the sound of that very much."

"Good, now, one more point that needs to be addressed before I get to snog my beautiful girlfriend. While we aren't in the heat of a passionate moment, I want to know what your boundaries are. Knowing now will stop me from crossing any lines that you aren't ready to cross just yet."

"Fred," Hermione breathed, eyes glistening, "if I wasn't already in love with you, that would have done it. Thank you for thinking ahead and being so considerate. Honestly, I'm more than ready to allow our physical relationship to progress naturally and just do whatever feels right, but… well… I haven't exactly had a reason to be prepared for that kind of thing so I'm not on the potion and with our wands useless right now…" She trailed off looking at him sadly.

"Mi, it's okay. That gives us a reason to take things slowly. Besides," he added with a wicked gleam in his eye, "there are many, many things that I've been wanting to do to you that don't cross that particular line."

Rising from his chair, he moved around the table and pulled her up to stand in front of him before leaning down and whispering, "That's quite enough talking for now, don't you agree?" Slanting his lips across hers, he pulled her lower lip between his. Her soft moan caused her mouth to open slightly, just enough to allow his tongue to slip inside. The kiss was soft and seductive. Neither feeling the need to rush.

Wanting to feel her silky skin under his hands, he slid them just under the hem of her shirt, caressing her sides and back and revelling in the joy of finally being able to touch her like this.

Hermione pulled away slightly and murmured, "bed," against his lips.

Not having to be told twice, he led the way. Then he gaped as she gave him a cheeky wink and swiftly divested herself of her shirt and promptly assisted Fred with the removal of his own. The feeling of skin on skin contact was nearly his undoing. Wanting more than anything to explore every inch of her body he whispered, "Would you allow me to give you a massage?"

Pausing her own ministrations, she nodded eagerly. "I would love that."

Instead of flipping onto her belly as Fred expected, she surprised him by standing and removing the leggings that she was wearing before climbing back onto the bed and getting comfortable on her stomach where she shocked him once again by removing her bra and tossing it haphazardly over her shoulder.

Fred groaned audibly at the sight of her lying there in nothing but a pair of tiny, purple lace knickers. He must have sat and stared for several minutes because Hermione cleared her throat and said with laughter in her voice, "I believe I was promised a massage."

Straddling her back but being careful to keep his weight on his knees Fred began to rub Hermione's shoulders, neck, and back. As he worked his way down her spine, he added open-mouthed kisses to each area he'd already massaged. Reaching her arse, he slid both hands up the bottom of her knickers, firmly grasping the rounded globes.

Until now, Hermione had been perfectly still under him. He'd heard the soft moans that let him know just how much she was enjoying what he was doing, but she was completely limp and pliable. Now, as he moved on to her upper thigh, he leaned down and licked along the crease where thigh met arse. Writhing beneath him, she gasped, "Freddd."

Smirking to himself, he slipped a single finger down to caress the silky skin of her inner thigh, lightly brushing her lace-covered core. The sounds that she produced went straight to his already rock hard cock. As much as he craved release, he wanted to draw out her pleasure as long as possible. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought he would be allowed to touch her like this, that she would actually be his.

Sliding back up her body, he caressed the sides of her breasts as he kissed her neck, whispering in her ear, "Turn over for me, beautiful."

As she turned, he saw the tears in her eyes. Horrified, he gathered her up in his arms. "What's wrong, did I hurt you? Did I do something that you didn't like?"

"Oh Fred, no, don't worry, it's nothing like that. Nothing bad at all. It's just that I've never been touched like that before, so reverently, so completely. I… I… I was just overcome by the emotion of it all."

"Sweetheart, I love you. I have wanted to touch you like that for years now. I plan to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love touching you, how much you mean to me."

Satisfied that nothing was actually wrong, Fred was reminded that Hermione's naked breasts were now rubbing against his equally bare chest. Pressing a soft kiss to her lips he leaned back, taking in the sight of her. The swollen lips, wild hair, perfect breasts… everything… It was his turn to feel overwhelmed.

Capturing her lips once again, he allowed himself to let go. Hands roaming down her body, he cupped a breast, running a thumb rough from years of potion making over her pebbled nipple. Leaving her mouth, he moved to capture the neglected bud with his lips, sucking gently, causing her to buck her hips against his erection.

Her hands, which had previously remained in his hair, or on his chest or back, roamed down, teasing him by playing with the trail of soft hair that led from his stomach to his crotch. Slipping her hand into his pajamas and under his pants, she wrapped her small hand around his length and stroked up and down, causing him to cry out. Releasing her nipple, he looked up at her and through clenched teeth said, "If you keep that up, I'm going to embarrass myself by getting there before you."

Giving him a wicked grin, she brushed her thumb through the pre-cum that had formed at the head of his cock. Then, with a wink, she withdrew her hand and made a show of licking the moisture from her thumb.

Knowing that it wouldn't take much to have him coming in his pants like a bloody teenager, Fred decided that he would ensure that he could get her there first by doing what he'd wanted to do since he first touched her. Moving down her body, he removed her knickers slowly, then looked up to take her in, fully naked before him. Gently spreading her legs, he positioned himself between them, lowering his head he lightly licked the skin of her inner thigh. Pulling back, he grinned up at her when she hissed, "Tease," at him. Smirking, he lowered his head and licked up her slit once before pulling back again, this time to blow lightly into the soft strip of short curls covering her sex.

As she moaned and writhed, clearly wanting more than what he'd given so far, he slipped a single finger into her. At her strangled cry, he sucked her clit between his lips and began to flick his tongue swiftly over the tiny bundle of nerves. Beginning to feel her walls flutter around his finger he added a second one, finding the spongy spot on her front wall, he began to rhythmically massage, hoping to enhance her pleasure. Screaming his name, she clamped down on his fingers like a vice. Slowing his movements, but maintaining a gentle pressure, he waited for her to ride out the orgasm that was still coming in waves.

When she'd stilled under him, he moved back up, kissing her thoroughly. Shifting their positions, he guided her head to his chest. Shaking her head, she playfully admonished, "What are you doing? It's your turn."

"Mi, you don't have to do anything. I'm serious. Giving you pleasure was one of my biggest fantasies, and I can't believe how bloody lucky I am right now to have you in my arms."

"I want to. Now, just lay back and enjoy, unless you have real objections."

"Carry on then."

Watching as she moved down his body, he was mesmerised when she looked up and caught his eye. Holding his gaze, she reached down and swiftly pulled off his pajamas and pants. Crawling back up his legs, she licked up the underside of his cock before wrapping both hands around the base and taking him fully into her mouth. Then she began to bob up and down, twisting her hands as she swirled her tongue around him. With her saliva acting as a lubricant, he couldn't tell where her mouth ended and her hands began. It was amazing. Wishing he could hold out longer and just enjoy, he breathlessly warned, "I'm about to come."

Without pause, she nodded her understanding. Unable to delay the climax any longer, he came, longer and harder than he ever had before with Hermione swallowing around him. Slowing her pace, she continued to lick and suck gently until he started to grow soft in her mouth. Only then did she release him and move up to place a gentle kiss on his lips before pillowing her head on his chest and succumbing to a much-needed nap after a sleepless night.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The next few days were blissful. They spent countless hours exploring each other's bodies, making up for the years that they'd both wanted to do just that. They also found time to plan out the ideas for wizarding versions of both Monopoly and Scrabble and watch all of the videos in the cupboard.

Finally, it was the morning of Christmas Eve. Lingering at the table after breakfast, Hermione smiled at Fred saying, "I'm excited to leave here and truly begin our life together, but I'm also sad. This has been the best week of my life and I truly don't want it to end." Looking thoughtful, she added, "I guess that we have George to thank for this. I know that we were both furious with him in the beginning but it all worked out rather well."

"Oh sweetness, it did work out, but my dear twin still must be punished. We need a plan before we see him tomorrow. How should we get our revenge?" Seeing the conflicted expression on Hermione's face, he continued, "Remember the snowstorm we had to walk through to get here? The purple bikini? Those amazingly sexy pyjamas? When you think about thanking him because it all turned out perfectly, remember how angry you were and help me repay him for making you think I was with all of those other women. We can thank him later."

With a smile slowly spreading across her face, Hermione nodded.

The next morning, they awoke early, knowing they would need to return to the hotel to collect their belongings and to get the Portkey back to England. They had cleaned up the previous evening, and Hermione had taken the time to write the tale of their stay in the journal for the owner - leaving out the salacious bits, of course. All that was left was for them to say goodbye to their home over the past week, the place where they finally acknowledged their feelings for each other.

Wrapping an arm around her, Fred whispered, "We can always come back one day if you like."

She nodded and leaned into his embrace. "Happy Christmas. I'm going to miss this place, but I'm happy to get back and experience real life with you."

Smiling at her, Fred returned the greeting. Taking out his wand for the first time in a week and glancing at Hermione for assurance that she was ready, he apparated them away, back to the hotel.

A short time later, they arrived at the Burrow. Knowing that they only had a few hours before George and Angelina would be there as well, they immediately set their plan into motion.

Entering the house hand in hand, they were met by thrilled shrieks and cheers. Molly gathered them into a tight hug, tears shining in her eyes and started to speak. Fred stopped her. "Mum, I know what you're going to say, and yes, marriage and babies will happen, eventually. But, give us some time to get used to being together first. We've only just started."

With his mum settled, Fred and Hermione quickly filled the others in on what George had done and their plan to teach him a lesson. Knowing George as they did, no one was surprised about the lengths he'd gone to in his attempt to bring Fred and Hermione together. They were all happy to assist with getting him back though, everyone there having been on the receiving end of multiple pranks.

Everyone got into position, and not a moment too soon. Just minutes later, George and Angelina appeared at the boundary of the Burrow, glowing with happiness over their new engagement. Momentarily, Fred felt guilty for spoiling their happy day like this. Deciding on the spot to alter the plans, just a little, he shifted tactics. Instead of approaching his twin angrily, he hung back, waiting as the rest of the family gathered around the happy couple, congratulating them on their engagement. George, spotting him some distance from the group, beckoned him over.

Looking at him expectantly, he asked pointedly, "Well, how did it go? Where's that beautiful bookworm of yours?"

Fred didn't respond to the question. Instead, he said, "Congratulations you two. I'm very happy for you." Then, looking over George's shoulder at Angelina, added, "I'm sorry about this, Angie." With that, he hauled back and punched George in the face.

George, who had been knocked back several steps, sputtered, rubbed his sore jaw. Saying wryly, "I'm going to guess that it didn't go well."

"Well, what the bloody hell did you expect? Trapping us like that, nearly freezing us out in a snowstorm. But then, the cabin was nice, and I was there with her and she's hard to resist so, I took your advice, and took a chance, only to learn that my dear brother had ruined everything before I could do anything about it."

Confusion written all over his face, George asked, "What do you mean? I know she fancies you too. How did I ruin your chance?"

"Well, brother," he spat, "you made her think that our flat was a revolving door for women lining up to take their turn with me."

Closing his eyes, George ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply. "Didn't you explain? Show her your letter maybe?"

Fred glared. "This is Hermione Granger we're talking about. When has she ever listened to reason once she gets an idea into her head?"

"Gods, Freddie, I'm so sorry. I'll talk to her, make it right. I promise."

"Well, that's going to be a little difficult seeing that she disappeared as soon as we got back here."

As George stared down at his feet, mumbling apology after apology and undoubtedly trying to come up with a plan of his own to corner Hermione, Fred looked up at the window of his old bedroom where he knew Hermione stood disillusioned, in the window watching everything unfold and shot her a quick wink. Glancing around he realised that he'd been caught by Angie who pointed a finger in his direction, and flashing him a bright smile, shook her head, and mouthed, "you prat!" at him.

Holding a finger to his lips, he silently asked her to go along. She nodded her agreement and turned to George. "Why don't we go inside, give everyone a chance to cool off, yeah?"

When they were out of sight, Fred shot a thumbs up in the direction of the window where Hermione stood, her signal to move along with the second phase of the plan. As soon as he did, he made his way inside to watch the show.

Before long, an unfamiliar owl flew in the open window, dropping a bright red, slightly smoking envelope onto George's lap. When he saw what it was, the color drained from his face. Ron, barely able to contain his mirth, laughed. "Better open it now. It only gets worse if you ignore it."

George, still pale, nodded and opened it. Hermione's angry voice immediately filled the room…

_GEORGE WEASLEY, _

_HOW DARE YOU PULL A STUNT LIKE THAT! WE COULD HAVE FROZEN TO DEATH! I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE THINKING BUT YOUR LITTLE PLAN DIDN'T WORK. I'M GOING TO STAY AWAY FOR A WHILE. I DON'T THINK I CAN STAND TO BE NEAR YOU RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW WHEN I'LL BE BACK. DON'T TRY TO FIND ME! _

As the howler dissolved into a pile of ash and Hermione's angry voice faded away, George turned to Fred. "I've really buggered this one up. I don't know how, but I promise I'll fix this. I know for certain that she loves you too. The two of you belong together."

Though the plan had been to drag this on until after dinner, Fred was beginning to feel guilty. He thought that George had suffered enough. Apparently, Hermione had been listening to the exchange because she appeared suddenly, sliding into Fred's lap. George, who was still looking down at the remnants of red on his lap, didn't notice. Hermione spoke up, "I hope you've learned your lesson. It's not nice to meddle in other people's lives."

Looking up, evidently shocked, George could only stare, then a broad grin began to spread across his face. "So it worked then? The two of you finally get your heads out of your arses and admitted that you were in love?"

Fred replied, "Yes, well, no thanks to you. Everything did happen like I said outside. You really had made Mi think all of those awful things about me, and she wasn't very willing to hear me out at first, but we were trapped and she couldn't very well go anywhere so I got her to come around in the end."

George and Angie wanted to hear the whole story then. Fred first apologised to his soon to be sister-in-law, saying that he truly felt bad about spoiling their engagement announcement. She shrugged it off saying that if she was going to be married to a Weasley twin; it was part of the package.

Over the next hour, everyone listened as Fred and Hermione told a family-friendly version of their adventure, then George and Angelina recounted their own holiday and engagement. By the time Molly called them all to the table, they were all relaxed and happily chatting about wedding plans and what Hermione and Fred planned to do next.

As the hour grew late, Hermione found Fred in one of the armchairs near the fire chatting with George. Slipping onto his lap, she whispered in his ear. "You know, our magic is working again."

Raising an eyebrow, Fred felt himself begin to grow hard at the implications of her statement, groaning quietly when she discreetly moved her arse to brush against him.

Gazing at him, attempting to appear innocent, but with eyes full of mischief. She whispered again, "What would you like to do now?"

Before he could answer, George spoke up. "The two of you need to get a room. Preferably in Hermione's flat. Angie is staying with me at ours tonight."

Hermione turned back to him and said lowly, "I like that plan." Then, leaning closer, mouth against his ear, she breathed, "I need to feel you inside me. I can't wait any longer."

With that, Fred grabbed her and kissed her soundly. Pulling away, he whispered, "I need to be able to get out of this chair and tell everyone goodbye and Happy Christmas. If you don't stop, we'll be stuck here all night."

Hearing a chuckle from George, he realised that he hadn't spoken as quietly as intended. Hermione turned red and hopped off his lap, announcing that she would go find Ginny and say goodbye and he should let her know when he was ready.

Soon, they were saying their goodbyes and heading off to Hermione's. This was his life now. He still couldn't believe that Hermione was his. Turning to her, he said, "This has been the best Christmas ever. I can't wait until next year to see what we can do to improve on this one."

xXx

Their year was crazy, the potion that they created using the Stella Gelida was a success, slowly improving the lives of those who had been tortured into insanity. Hermione had been thrilled to help all of those people, and she and Fred were blissfully happy with each other.

True to his word, Fred made plans to make this Christmas even better than the last. After talking to George, he got details on how to access the cabin in Norway. The trip was dual purposed. They did need more of the flowers to continue brewing the life-changing potion and Fred had big plans for the week that they would be stranded. After packing Hermione's beaded bag, bringing along the purple bikini, of course, he arranged a surprise Portkey to take her back to have a repeat of the trip where they confessed their love for each other. Only this time, when they returned, the day after Christmas, Hermione was wearing a new piece of jewellery and glowing with happiness.


End file.
